Exclusive:
If you’re looking for a way to treat your partner without spending money this Valentine’s Day, try these saucy tips to give your other half an incredible massage
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner – and if you’re keeping things low-key in terms of budget, then you may be considering different ways to make your evening extra special.
Natasha Bowles, 28, is a spa manager at the Manchester Marriott Picadilly, and she exclusively told The Mirror that there’s a way you can treat your partner to a decadent massage while you’re simply both sitting on the sofa, binge-watching your favourite series.
Acknowledging the social media trend of choosing to spend time in together and focus on wellness, rather than going out, she shared how you can turn it into a really special night for the pair of you.
Natasha said: “You could easily sit at home, you could get a little bit of oil, a little bit of lotion out for your partner, and massage hands and arms because it’s really easy to do anywhere – whether that’s just on the sofa watching TV, whether you’ve just gone to bed, or whether you’re sat at the kitchen table, it’s that easy.”
Then she explained the technique you’d use. She said: “All you’re going to do, is you’re going to start effleuraging the forearms, into the fingertips, doing little circular movements around each knuckle. That’s going to really hydrate your cuticles, the knuckles – especially in winter when it’s a bit colder – and then you can massage up the wrist which is going to help anyone who works from home and use computers.”
For those not in the know, Effleurage is a light friction technique commonly used to begin a massage treatment. Effleurage is made up of long, stroking movements which are performed using a flat hand or fingers. Effleurage is used to increase the flow of the lymphatic system, according to Manchester Physio.
Natasha continued: “Then you can go right into the elbow area, which can really help if your partner plays sports. You can go right into the shoulder blades as well. So if you just do little circular movements with your thumb or any of your fingers, you can get any little nodules out.
“If you’re using a massage oil, you can really warm that up, and that will help with blood circulation, will help hydrate the area, and will be really hydrating for you as well, as you do it”.
And when it comes to the products you use to massage, Natasha said you can use “something as simple as coconut oil”. You can pick this up from a supermarket cheaply, or may already have in your kitchen cupboard.
Alternatively, she recommends treating yourself and your partner to some “skin nourishing Milk Bath from Elemis,” which is a “super hydrating milk, and when you apply that, it’s really good for things like eczema, psoriasis, and it’s so gentle”.
So why not give it a go? You (and your partner) can thank us later!
